LATIN BIBLE. Fol. This MS. of the sacred text is in four folio volumes, and
undoubtedly cannot be later than the thirteenth century. The text is
written with three columns in each page. Of the illuminations, the figures
are sketches, but freely executed: the colouring coarse and slightly put
on: the wings of some of the angels reminded me of those in the curious
_Hyde-Book_, belonging to the Marquis of Buckingham at Stowe; and of which,
as you may remember, there are fac-similes in _the Bibliographical
Decameron_.[32] The group of angels (on the reverse of the fourth leaf of
the first volume), attending the Almighty's commands, is cleverly managed
as to the draperies. The soldiers have quilted or net armour. The initial
letters are sometimes large, in the fashion of those in the Bible of
Charles the Bald, but very inferior in execution. In this MS. we may trace
something, I think, of the decline of art.

PSALTERIUM LATINÈ, 8vo. If I were called upon to select any one volume, of
given octavo dimensions, I do not know whether I should not put my hand
upon the _present_--for you are hereby to know that this was the religious
manual of ST. LOUIS:--his own choice copy--selected, I warrant, from half a
score of performances of rival scribes, rubricators, and illuminators. Its
condition is absolutely wonderful--nor is the history of its locomotiveness
less surprising. First, for an account of its contents. On the reverse of
the first fly-leaf, we read the following memorandum--in red: "_Cest
psaultier fu saint loys. Et le dona la royne Iehanne deureux au roy
Charles filz du roy Iehan, lan de nres' mil troys cens soissante et neuf.
Et le roy charles pnt filz du dit Roy charles le donna a madame Marie de
frace sa fille religieuse a poissi. le iour saint michel lan mil
iiij^c._" This hand writing is undoubtedly of the time.

A word now about the history of this volume. As this extract indicates, it
was deposited in a monastery at Poissy. When that establishment was